Clothes-rack



NTTED sTATEs PATENT oEEifoE.

THEOPHILUS D. BERRY, OF LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS.

CLOTHES-RACK.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 25,086, dated August .16, 1859.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,THEoP1-I1LUs D. BERRY, of Lowell, in the county of Middlesex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Clothes-Rack for Drying the Various Articles of Clothing; and I hereby declare that the following specification, in connection with accompanying drawings and references thereon, constitute a lucid, clear, and exact description of the construction and use of the same in referring to the said drawings.

Figure 1, denotes a plan, or top view of my clothes rack occupying only the corner of a room. Fig. 2, an elevation of the same. Fig. 3, a plan entirely unfolded. Fig. 4 an elevation of Fig. 3. Fig. 5, an elevation when folded for packing away. Fig. 6, a plan of another manner for folding it for packing away.

Inventz07'1,.-The nature of my invention consists in constructing my clothes rack with divided center, or of two sections so hinged to each other at their centers as to be folded and opened circumferentially, and stand erect and susceptible, by the support of each section to the other, of use in the very smallest possible position for it to occupy, and at the same time be folded vertically; all as will be hereinafter seen.

It will be understood that the clothes racks heretofore made, are unwieldy, cumbersome expensive, and inconvenient, and consequently their use has thus far been limited. The great object soughtto be obobtained in my invention is an article of trifling expense: simple and durable, easily and quickly folded and put away, or opened for use.

Construction-To enable persons skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to construct and carry out the same, I will describe it as follows:

I construct two center pieces of wood as seen at A, in the drawings and channel them so as to leave the shoulders B on either side; these center pieces are then hinged together by metal screws D, and plates C, so that my rack when complete may have all the folding movements as hereafter seen. I now construct four circumferential pieces seen at E, and connect them to the center pieces A, by the swinging slats F, which are hinged to them, as well as the channels B, or shoulders in pieces A, by wood screws G, in such manner as shown in the drawings that the rack may be opened for use, and yet occupy only the corner of a room (a great object especially in crowded cities) and yet be instantly folded so closely that all its parts may occupy but little more room for packing away; than if it were one entire solid piece of wood requisite for its construction. This result is attained by the peculiar method of first hinging the two center pieces A, together by plates C, and then, in addition by hinging each of these center pieces A, to each of the circumferential pieces E, by the slats F, to admit of being folded circumferentially for use and vertically, to bring my rack into the smallest possible form for stowing away as seen at Fig. 5.

I construct four braces of wire seen at I-I, and attach one of each of their ends to one of the slats F, so as to turn therein as seen at a, in the drawing while their other ends will hook into holes I, formed in each of the center pieces A, to keep the rack steady when unfolded for use, in conjunction with shoulders c, of slats F, coming in contact with shoulders B, of pieces A.

Fig. 1, shows a plan of my rack unfolded and occupying the corner only of a room.

Use--It is only necessary to unfold my rack, and connect the braces, for use, or to receive the various articles of clothing to be dried thereon, and its advantages have been fully shown in my preceding specification.

IVhat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The construction of my clothes rack with divided center, or of two sections each to consist of centerpiece A, slats F, braces H, and circumferential pieces E, united to each other as described; when these two sections are combined with each other by plates C, so hinged as to allow the rack to be folded and opened both vertically and circumferentially in the manner described, to obtain by this divided center, a rack suitable for use, when folded closely and circumferentially for the purposes set forth.

THEOPI-IILUS D. BERRY.

W'itnesses:

E. W. SCOTT, M. MARSHALL. 

